Regular Inspections

Working Together to Keep Buildings Fire Safe

The Chilliwack Fire Department conducts regular fire inspections to identify fire and life safety concerns, support building owners and operators, and promote compliance with the BC Fire Code, BC Fire Safety Act and applicable City of Chilliwack bylaws.

Our inspection program uses a risk-based approach, meaning inspection frequency and the type of inspection conducted may vary depending on the building, its use, occupants, fire protection features and other risk factors.

Who Do We Inspect?
Our regular inspection program focuses on buildings used by the public and other regulated occupancies, including many:

• Commercial properties
• Industrial properties
• Institutional facilities
• Multi-unit residential buildings
• Assembly occupancies
• Daycares
• Other public-use or regulated buildings and occupancies

An inspection may be required where a residence is being used for another regulated purpose, such as a home-based business or home-based daycare.

Where We Inspect
The Chilliwack Fire Department conducts fire inspections within the City of Chilliwack and in other areas where the City provides fire inspection services through an established service agreement.

Our Approach: Education Before Enforcement
Our goal is compliance and safer buildings.

The Chilliwack Fire Department believes strongly in education before enforcement. Our inspectors want building owners, managers and operators to understand fire safety requirements and why they matter.

An inspection is an opportunity to identify concerns, answer questions and work together to correct issues before they contribute to an emergency.

If deficiencies are identified, we will explain the concern and what needs to be corrected. Most issues can be addressed through cooperation and follow-up.

Where there is an immediate or significant fire or life safety risk, or where ongoing non-compliance is not corrected, additional enforcement action may be necessary.

Don't be afraid of a fire inspection. Our team would much rather help identify and correct a problem today than encounter it during an emergency.

Two Types of Fire Department Inspections

You may receive an inspection from an on-duty fire company or from a Fire Prevention Officer, the difference is primarily the depth and focus of the inspection.

How Often Will My Property Be Inspected?
The Chilliwack Fire Department uses a risk-based inspection program, which means there is no single inspection schedule that applies to every property.

Depending on the level of risk and conditions at the property, inspections may occur as frequently as weekly, monthly or every six months, or may be scheduled annually or as far apart as every three years.

For most properties, a baseline inspection frequency is established based on the type of occupancy and its general level of fire and life safety risk. That frequency may then be adjusted based on conditions specific to the property.

Factors we may consider include:

• Occupancy and building use
• Occupant characteristics and ability to evacuate
• Potential consequences of a fire
• Building construction, age and condition
• Fire alarm, sprinkler and other fire protection systems
• Fire Department access and available water supply
• Hazardous materials, processes or activities
• Previous inspection results
• Outstanding deficiencies
  Compliance history
• Changes in ownership, occupancy or building use
• Other emerging or property-specific fire and life safety concerns

Inspection frequency can change. A property that is normally inspected annually or every few years may be inspected much more frequently when significant deficiencies, changing conditions or ongoing compliance concerns are identified.

Has It Been a While Since Your Last Inspection?
If your building has not been inspected for some time and you are unsure whether it is due for a regular inspection, contact the Fire Prevention Division at [email protected] 

We can review the property's inspection history and determine whether an inspection is due.

There is no need to request an additional inspection if your property is already current within our regular risk-based inspection program.

Preparing for Your Inspection
Where practical, we prefer to have an owner or knowledgeable property representative available during an inspection. This gives our inspector an opportunity to ask questions, access required areas and discuss any concerns directly.

This isn't always necessary or practical, particularly for company-level inspections.

Some properties require appointments because of their use, access requirements or other circumstances. Where an appointment is required, we will work with the appropriate property representative to arrange the inspection.

Have Your Records Available
Depending on your building, we may ask to review documentation such as:

• Your current Fire Safety Plan
• Fire alarm inspection and service records
• Sprinkler inspection and service records
• Fire extinguisher servicing records
• Emergency lighting records
• Fire drill records
• Other inspection, testing and maintenance documentation applicable to your property

Fire protection systems and equipment must be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the BC Fire Code and applicable City of Chilliwack bylaw requirements.

Your Fire Safety Plan should help identify the systems, procedures, records and ongoing fire safety responsibilities applicable to your building.

Want to Know What We Look For?
You can review a sample of our regular inspection form, here, to see some of the common fire and life safety items considered during an inspection.

What Happens if We Find Something?
Finding a deficiency doesn't necessarily mean your building is unsafe. The purpose of an inspection is to identify concerns and have them corrected before they contribute to an emergency.

When deficiencies are identified, we will generally:

Identify the concern → Explain what needs to be corrected → Provide an appropriate timeframe → Follow up as required

The seriousness of the concern, potential impact on fire and life safety and compliance history may affect the required corrective action and timeframe.

Immediate or significant fire and life safety hazards may require prompt corrective action.

Our preference remains to achieve compliance through education, communication and cooperation whenever possible.

Fire Safety Doesn't Stop After the Inspection
A Fire Department inspection represents conditions observed at a particular point in time.

Owners and those responsible for a property have an ongoing responsibility to maintain fire and life safety between Fire Department inspections.

A Fire Department inspection doesn't replace the owner's ongoing responsibility to maintain compliance.

Keep Your Property Information Current
One last thing — help us have the right information before we need it.

If there have been changes to your:

Property owner • Property manager • Emergency contacts • Access codes • Gates • Keys or locks • Emergency access arrangements

please provide the Chilliwack Fire Department with updated information.

Keeping this information current helps firefighters access your property and contact the right people during an emergency.

UPDATE YOUR PROPERTY REFERENCE FORM here.